#BringBackOurGirls

“As a father of two young girls, I can only imagine what it was like for those parents when they got the call that their daughters had been taken.”

While trying to make sense of what happened almost a month ago, I had a chat with Pastor Akpanke Able of Christ Life Commission in Birchleigh just to get a bit of insight into what is happening in Nigeria and how it affects us here in South Africa.

More than 200 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram men on April 14 from their school in Chibok, Nigeria. Some of the girls managed to escape but the bulk of the young girls is still with their captors.

Several videos from Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, have been circulating with the latest showing several young girls believed to be the kidnapped schoolgirls, donning hijabs.

According to Past Able, who is originally from Nigeria, Boko Haram has been around for more than a decade.

“The north eastern part of Nigeria is predominantly Muslim and from what I know and understand, this has been a long time coming. Boko Haram started as a group of Muslims wanting to have a say in Nigeria, especially when it came to the implementation of western education. The dispute has its foundations in politics but with obvious religious undertones,” said Able.

He explains that this is not their first “terrorist” act. He recalls how in 2011, a Boko Haram suicide attack in the United Nations Building in Abuja killed a significant number of people. He added that in 2012 several students in Federal Polytechnic Mubi in Adamawa state were gunned down during an attack believed to be by Boko Haram.

“This abduction was not their first horrific act but it has helped to put the spotlight on how these men have been terrorising people in Nigeria,” he added.

Since inception in 2009, the group has bombed churches, schools and has killed many Nigerians, including politicians and religious leaders alike. Their main aim is to impose Sharia law across Nigeria which, as Able explains, is split between a mostly Islam north and mostly Christian south.

In videos that have surfaced on the internet, Boko Haram leader has said that the young girls should not have been in school but should be married off instead.

“It has become quite a complex matter as there are many factors involved and we are just seeing what is on the surface. However, we should not forget that there are dozens of parents who have not been able to sleep because no sane parent would be able to not knowing where their daughter was,” he said.

I’m in agreement with that, what has always struck me with this is that more than 200 girls were simply taken and it has taken their government a while to make a stand and admit that these girls were actually taken.

The last four weeks have been frightening as I watched headlines go from bad to worse and thought of the privilege I had to finish my high school education and even pursue further education without any fear. When parents have decided that their daughters deserve a chance to be empowered and educated, it shouldn’t be for another person to defy that despite their political and religious inclination.

“I sincerely believe that this has jolted Nigerians into action and unity – whether you’re home or in the diaspora you want to do something to raise awareness about the girls’ plight. I sincerely hope and believe that Nigeria will come out stronger after this and I pray that we won’t have a repeat of this ever,” he ended.